The prior art is replete with devices facilitating the electrical connection of a package or a circuit card to a base machine. A typical example of such a device is shown in an article by G. J. Clair in IBM Technical disclosure bulletin (Vol. 27 No. 6 November 1984, pages 3536-3538), which discloses an enclosure designed to carry a circuit card and to provide easily applied force for plugging, unplugging and securing the card in place by simple lever action and without the use of any tool.
The prior art also discloses electrical interlocks to prevent the removal of the cover of a machine without turning off the power and unplugging the device from the power source, notably a wall socket etc. EP-A-176676 discloses an electrical interlock which insures that the power cord is removed from the machine before a functional package, containing electronic components, can be removed or inserted into the machine.
However, the prior art does not disclose a simple device which both allows an easy plugging and unplugging of a functional package containing electronic components, and requires that any electrical conductor, such as a power cord or a telecommunication cable, be removed from the machine before the functional package can be removed or inserted in the machine.